Nowadays nothing comes for free. First it’s a fee to check your bag at the airport; if you are cold on the plane, watch out for that blanket charge; have the bellman bring your bag to room – there’s a charge for that. Some resorts even put a price on beach chairs. It seems hotels and airlines are truly draining the pockets of patrons every step of the way.
The New York Times travel extraordinaire, Stephanie Rosenbloom, recently covered where all those pesky hidden fees are, and how she suggests you avoid them to stay within your travel budget.
Airlines have been under scrutiny lately when it comes to the final bill. Hidden charges have surfaced lately: fuel surcharges, assigned seat charge and even fees for carry-on bags. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, “airlines collected more than $3.3 billion in baggage fees and more than $2.3 billion in reservation cancellation and change fees last year,” said the New York Times.
Miami-based law firm, Podhurst Orseck, recently filed a class action law suit against Spirit Airlines alleging that up until late last year, Spirit Airlines actively misrepresented fares booked by its customers by unbundling certain fees, including something it calls a “Passenger Usage Fee” that can be avoided ONLY by purchasing tickets at Spirit’s airport counters. – (What is this – the dark ages?)
Read the rest of Stephanie’s article here to check out her advice on how stay above water on your next adventure.
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